HYDROPHIS. 



185 



Hi/drophis rohusta, Giintli. op. cit. p. 364 ; Fayrer, Tliauatoph. Ind. 



'pi. xxi (1874). 

 Distira rohmta, Bouleng. Faun. Brit. Ind., Kept. p. 409 (1890). 

 Bistira bnic/iucmsii, Bouleng. Cat. Sn. iii, p. 292 (1896). 



Head moderate ; body elongate. Eye shorter than its distance 

 from the mouth. Eostral broader than deep ; frontal much longer 

 than deep, as long as its distance from the rostral or the end of 

 the snout ; one prae- and one or two postoculars ; a single large 

 anterior temporal, sometimes descending to the border o£ the 

 mouth ; 7 upper labials, third and fourth, or third, fourth, and 

 fifth entering' the eye; two pairs of chin-shields, in contact on 

 the middle line. 27 to 31 scales round ne(-k, 32 to 40 round 

 thickest part of body ; scales rhomboidal and subimbricate, smooth 

 or each with a more or less distinct central tubercle or short 

 obtuse keel. Ventrals distinct throughout, smooth or bituber- 

 culate, 300-354. Greenish yellow above, dorsal scales with black 

 margins, with black cross-bands or annuli, which are narrower 

 than the interspaces between them ; sides and lower parts yellow ; 

 end o£ tail black. 



Total length 1800 millim.; tail 120. 



Persian Gulf to Malay Archipelago. Obtained at Penang by 

 Cantor, 



200. Hydrophis wrayi. 



Distira wrai/i, Bouleng. Ann. & Mag. Nat, Hist. (7) v, p. 307 

 (1900). 



Head moderate; body long, rather strongly thickened posteriorly. 

 Eye minute. Eostral considerably broader than deep; frontal 

 nearly twice as long as broad, slightly shorter than its distance 

 from the rostral ; one prse- and one postocular ; a single 

 very large anterior temporal, nearly reaching the oral border; 

 7 upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye; two pairs of 

 chin-shields, in contact with each other. 27 scales round neck, 

 37 round thickest part of body ; scales feebly imbricate, very 

 strongly keeled, many of the keels broken up into t\^•o tubercles. 

 Ventrals small, bicarinate, the keels mostly broken up into two 

 tubercles, 296. Tail ending in a spine-like compressed scale. 

 Blackish, witli 67 narrow light annuli, which are olive on the back, 

 yellow on the sides and on the bell3^ 



Total length 940 millim. 



Known from a single male specimen obtained on the Perak 

 Coast. 



201. Hydrophis cyanocinctus. 



Baud. Hist. Kept, vii, p. 383 (1803) ; Giinth. Kept. Brit. Ind. 

 p. 367, part. (1804) ; Fayrer, Thanatoph. Ind. pi. xxiii (1874). 



